Ive had this zen for some time but i lost the charger awhile back. Since i dont wanna buy another mp3 since there so expensive i bought a $5 dollar charger from ebay. So i connected charged up installed the software cd but then i saw its not connected. I uninstalled wmp11 and reinstalled nothing showed up. Checked in the device manager also it still does appear there. Also checked in hidden devices.Could it be the sync cable i bought from ebay if anyone else can give me more info or try the charger from ebay theres tons of em.

Hi Sin,
I have experienced this same problem many times.
My opinion is this:
If you plug in your player and the computer does not make an audible noise in recognition of a device being plugged in then you have a hardware issue with your player.
But if your computer makes a sound but your software does not see it then you have a software issue.
Once you determine software/hardware you can proceed from there.
Try another computer with your cable.
If your cable charges your player then it is likely that it is not faulty. But who really knows.
I have been cautioned against "cheap" chargers available on eBay. I have heard that they can actually damage players. So if you buy a wall charger, dont buy the cheapest one. You might regret it later.
I actually know of a guy down in Texas that sells OEM chargers for about $20.

Oh if you figure out that it is just software, there is a huge thread on working out that issue. It is on this site and easy enough to find. It is just that it is huge and takes a lot of reading. But I have sent at least 10 people to that thread and had success.

If it is your circuit board you still are not completely dead. There are a few circuit boards for sale right now on eBay.

Had this same issue with my Zen Vision M. The player would charge via USB cable or charger, however it would not connect to my PC (laptop or desktop), and would not be recognized or sync.

After searching different forums, I found no solution that seemed to solve my issue. I tried different cables, and I had the latest firmware installed.

After reading Sin's post, and still finding no hope, on a whim I looked into the player's connector slot. I noticed something odd, and confirmed it with my other Vision M.

Apparently the second pin of the connector had been bent up and pushed flat against the back of the connection port.

Using a narrow pick tool, I was able to hook it and bend it back forward into its slot.

I reconnected the cable, and VOILA! The player was recognized and synced.

My guess is that repeated less than perfectly aligned insertion of the cable had caught the pin, lifted, and bent it back.

So while this may not solve everyone's problem, it's worth adding to your troubleshooting steps. When you look into the connection slot, you should not see any gold pins sticking up from the connector. Above the connector, at the rear of the slot, you should only see black.